Best Month to Visit Kathmandu: Month-by-Month Guide

The best month to visit Kathmandu is October: clear skies and Himalayan views. Discover our month-by-month calendar of weather, festivals and prices.

Hidden Hymn

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Hidden Hymn writes for Hidden Hymn — long-form stories from the world's quietest corners.

October 17, 2026 · 7 min read

The Himalayan Range seen from Kathmandu Valley

The best month to visit Kathmandu is October. The monsoon has just cleared, the skies are at their clearest, the Himalaya are back on the horizon, days sit at a comfortable 14–26°C, and the city celebrates Dashain, its biggest festival of the year. November is a close second and a little quieter.

However, the best time to travel to Kathmandu depends on what you are looking for: March suits spring festivals and trekking, December and January bring the lowest prices and near-empty heritage sites, and July offers the greenest landscapes and the cleanest air. If you are still deciding when to visit Kathmandu, the month-by-month table below shows the weather, views, prices and things to do in each month, so you can pick the best time to visit Kathmandu, Nepal for your own trip.

Month	Weather	Season and view	Things to do
January	2–18°C · cold, dry, foggy mornings	Winter: morning fog, haze building; mountain views hit and miss	Maghe Sankranti festivities; mountain flight; heritage walks in the afternoon sun
February	4–20°C · cool, dry, sunny afternoons	Winter: hazy valley, clearer after rare showers	Gyalpo Losar at Boudhanath; Maha Shivaratri at Pashupatinath (Feb or Mar); Shivapuri day hike
March	8–24°C · mild, dry, warming	Spring: clearest spring month; mountains visible on good mornings	Holi at Basantapur Durbar Square; rhododendron hike on Phulchowki; Nagarkot sunrise
April	11–27°C · warm, mostly dry, first storms	Spring: dust and haze hide the Himalaya by late April	Nepali New Year and Bisket Jatra in Bhaktapur; Seto Machhindranath chariot; jacaranda-lined streets
May	16–28°C · hot afternoons, pre-monsoon storms	Spring: haziest month; mountain views rare	Buddha Jayanti at Swayambhunath and Boudhanath; early-morning heritage walks; Patan Museum at midday
June	19–29°C · hot, humid, monsoon arrives	Monsoon: green hills, mountains behind cloud	Ropain (National Paddy Day, around 29 June); Nepali cooking class; Patan Museum
July	20–28°C · wettest month, frequent downpours	Monsoon: lush and green, cleanest air of the year, no mountain views	Gunla processions to Swayambhunath; morning kora at Boudhanath; cooking class
August	20–28°C · very wet, humid	Monsoon: green valley, cloud-covered peaks	Gai Jatra; Janai Purnima at Kumbheshwar; Krishna Janmashtami at Patan (Aug or Sep)
September	18–27°C · rain easing, warm	Late monsoon into autumn: first clear mountain days by late September	Indra Jatra at Kathmandu Durbar Square; Teej at Pashupatinath; first views from Nagarkot
October	14–26°C · dry, bright, comfortable	Autumn: clearest skies; Himalaya back on the horizon	Dashain kites and swings; sunrise at Nagarkot or Chandragiri; start a trek
November	8–22°C · dry, sunny, cool nights	Autumn: crisp, clear mountain views	Tihar lamps and Laxmi Puja; Chandragiri cable car; Durbar Square heritage walks
December	3–19°C · cold, dry, morning fog	Winter: clear December mornings, fog at dawn	Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival; Yomari Punhi; mountain flight

Expert tips: when to go for what you want to see In Kathmandu valley

Heritage sites (Durbar Squares, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath): Visit from October to November or in December. Expect dry, clear days for long walks between the squares, but book a guide early in October; in December you’ll have the courtyards almost to yourself.
Culture and festivals: Visit in September and October for Indra Jatra and Dashain, or late February to March for Maha Shivaratri and Holi. Expect packed squares, road closures and some shops shut on the main festival days, so keep your plans flexible.
Mountain views: The best time to travel to Kathmandu for Himalayan views is October to November, with clear December mornings a close second. Expect the best views at sunrise from Nagarkot, Chandragiri or the top of Swayambhunath, and mostly cloud or haze from late April to September.
Trekking: Visit from October to November or March to April. Expect Thamel to be busy with trekkers, gear shops fully stocked and domestic flights to Lukla and Pokhara booked out, so reserve a few weeks ahead.
Day hikes and outdoor activities in the Kathmandu Valley: Visit from October to April for hikes in Shivapuri National Park, the Chandragiri cable car, mountain biking on the valley rim and the Nagarkot to Changu Narayan walk. Expect dry trails; from June to August the trails turn muddy and leeches appear in the forests.